Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN!
Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2018.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Here is your assignment if you choose to play along (cue the Mission Impossible music, please!):1) It's Father's Day in the USA on Sunday, so let's talk about our fathers. 2) What did your father really like to do in his work or spare time? Did he have hobbies, or a workshop, or did he like sports, or reading, or watching TV?3) Tell us about it in your own blog post, in a comment on this post, or in a Facebook or Google+ post.Here's mine:My father, Frederick Walton Seaver (1911-1983) loved anything to do with sports. Especially baseball. He grew up in Leominster, Mass., and played baseball at Leominster High School in the mid-1920s. He went to Dartmouth College to play baseball, but hurt his knee and dropped out as the Depression hit in the 1930 time frame. Back in Leominster, he played on several sandlot teams during the 1930s. His favorite major league team was the Boston Red Sox (of course!). After he moved to San Diego in 1940 and got married in 1942, and came back from world War II in 1946, he was a high average ten pin bowler and was on teams in San Diego's most prestigious leagues. He would listen to San Diego Padres minor league games on the radio when he could, but I don't think he ever went to see a baseball game in San Diego for some reason - probably because they weren't the Red Sox.When a Little League was formed in our area in 1956, he signed up to coach a team when my brother Stan was 9 years old. Soon, he was managing a major league Little League team. He also volunteered to take care of the two ball fields at Morley Field in Balboa Park, and spent several evenings a week there dragging the fields, cleaning up, watering the sparse grass, etc. He went on to manage Stan's Pony League and Colt League teams, and then my brother Scott started playing in 1964, and my father managed his teams right through Colt League also. The downside was that my father was very competitive and hated to lose at anything, especially baseball games. He was always trying to get an edge on the opposing manager, which made him fairly unpopular with the other league members. After cutting two fingers off in a garage accident with a rotary saw, he had to sit out at least one year to recuperate. He continued bowling up until the accident also, but eventually cut back the number of leagues to a Friday night league. Our first vacations in the 1954-1960 time frame were trips to the California State Bowling Tournament sites up and down California, and we did some sightseeing also. He drove the whole way. We got a television in the living room in the mid-1950s, and they started showing baseball Game of the Week and NFL games, and he watched them all. During the 1950s and 1960s, we watched the Saturday Night fights and even the bullfights in Tijuana on the local Spanish station. He was a San Diego Chargers fan from their coming to San Diego in 1961, but only watched them when they were on television. When the Chargers moved into San Diego Stadium in 1968, he bought season tickets and held them until about 1980. It was a struggle to discuss football strategy and player capabilities with him because my opinion was usually at odds with his. He liked basketball too, and in the 1970s and early 1980s he would watch the L.A. Lakers games and yell at the announcers, Chick Hearn and Hot Rod Hundley, for any reason at all. On the last night of his life, May 26, 1983, we visited him at the hospital (he had prostate problems), and left him to watch the basketball game at around 6:30 p.m. He had a heart attack while watching the game - I've always figured that he went out yelling at Chick Hearn or berating the Lakers for their sloppy play. The URL for this post is: http://www.geneamusings.com/2014/06/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-what-did.htmlcopyright (c) 2014, Randall J. Seaver

I am in the 7th great-grandmothers and I'm up to #999, but I don't know who she, or #1001 and 1003 are, so here is Ancestor #1005, who is ABIGAIL LNU (1688-1756)[Note: the earlier great-grandmothers and 7th great-grandfathers have been covered in earlier posts].My ancestral line back through only one generation in this LNUfamily line is:1. Randall J. Seaver (1943-living)

The article starts in the right-hand column of Page 1 above, continues on to most of Page 2, and then finishes in the 30 January 1858 edition of the newspaper on pages 1 and 2. The first page of the 23 January 1858 issue is at http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=9AjqDp0R1qcC.

I am transcribing the articles in a series of blog posts - who knows how long this will take. I hope my readers enjoy it. Note that this is a reporter's summary of the trial, not the trial court transcript.

Prisoner was the first person witness saw when he came to Mr. Seaver's house, between 2 and 3 o'clock. Prisoner said his father was shot. Heard his testimony before the Coroner's Jury; heard him say he went down there and saw his father dead; he said he went to the house and told his mother his father was dead, -- that he was shot.

Prisoner was asked how he knew his father was shot. He said the reason was, he heard the report of a gun when he was coming to the house to get a drink of water. He was asked why he didn't go where his father was, to get a drink from the jug. He said because he wanted a nail to fix his scythe. He was asked had he been out a hunting. He said he had not; that he hadn't had a gun in his hand that day. He was asked if he had heard guns fired around that day; and replied that he hadn't heard any near by only that one.

Cross-examined -- Prisoner said when he heard the report, he was at the bars near the house. He said that he had heard other guns fired, but they were not near at hand. Witness is the Complainant in this case.

Witness did not announce in the presence of Mr. Paul Davison and Mr. Parker, when going home from the school meeting in his District, that Mortimer Seaver was the person that killed his father.

TESTIMONY OF GERSHOM LEWIS

Lives in Grand Blanc, 1 1-2 to 2 miles from Seaver's. Recollects when Mr. Seaver was shot. Witness was on the jury of inquest. Saw the prisoner there; heard him testify. He was asked in regard to his laboring in the field with his father. He said he was laboring in one part of the field, and his father in another. Witness understood they were mowing. Prisoner said he got dry, and came to the house for a drink of water. He said that on his way to the house, while on a pair of bars between the field and house, he heard the report of a gun very loud. He was asked how far he supposed that report to be from where his father was; and answered, about twenty rods. He was asked if he looked around when he heard the report, to see if there was smoke or any thing to be seen, where the report came from. He answered he did not see or discover anything. When he said that he came to the house to get a drink of water, some of the jury asked him why he didn't go where his father was laboring, and drink out of the jug. He replied that he wanted to get a nail to fasten the nib of his scythe. He said he then went back to where his father was, to get the jug to take to the part of the field where he himself was laboring; that when he got back to where his father was, he found him dead; that he then returned to the house and told his mother that his father was shot. He said he commissioned the little girl to go over to Charles, and tell his father was shot. Witness thinks the question was asked the prisoner by one of the jury, whether he had disturbed his father, and he said he had not.

[Witness identified the bullet produced in Court, as the one taken from the body.]

TESTIMONY OF BENNAGER TUPPER

Witness resides in Grand Blanc. Had some acquaintance with the prisoner. Was at Mr. Seaver's house, on the day of his death. Was a member of the jury of inquest. Thinks it was on a Friday.

Witness keeps a store at Grand Blanc Centre, near the Post Office. Saw the prisoner there the night before the inquest. He had a rifle with him. Saw him load it there, and took some notice of it. Witness sold him 1-4 pound od powder, and a box of caps. Prisoner appeared to be in a great hurry. He asked me if I had any first rate powder; I told him I had; he said if I could recommend it to be first rate. I might weigh him a quarter of it; I told him I called it first rate quality of powder; he said if I could warrant it, that there was no mistake about it, he would take a quarter. I gave him the powder and caps, and he told me to charge them to Aaron Seaver. He then went out on the steps and loaded his rifle. I asked him if he shot pigeons with a rifle; he said, yes, he shot everything with a rifle. When he had loaded his rifle, he measured it with his fingers and said something to the effect that it was a heavy charge -- called it "a busting load," or some expression of that kind -- I do not remember his exact words. I noticed that the gun carried a smallish size ball; think the ball produced in Court is just about the size to fit the rifle. I asked him if he shot pigeons with a ball; he said, yes, he could take the head off every time. Heard him testify before the coroner's jury; witness's recollection of it agrees with that of Mr. Lewis. Prisoner was the first witness examined at the inquest.

He stated he was mowing in the same field with his father; he came up to the house to get a drink of water. [The remainder of this witness' testimony was a repetition of Mr. Lewis' evidence, with the addition that the prisoner saw no blood when he found his father dead; that none of the neighbors had had his rifle out that day; and that when asked if his father had enemies, he said he did not know as his father had an enemy in the world.]

Cross-examined -- Thinks it was about sundown, when the prisoner came to witness' store; the distance from there to Seaver's, by the road, is about three miles.

TESTIMONY OF SILAS D. HALSEY

Resides in Grand Blanc about two miles from Seaver's. Was one of the jury of inquest; heard prisoner sworn; he said he was on the second pair of bars from the house when he heard the report of the gun; he said the report seemed to be in a piece of woods south of him, and west of where his father was at work; he said on finding his father in the situation described, he immediately went to the house, and told his mother that father was dead -- as witness understood it. Prisoner said he did not touch the body; he did not say any thing about wanting a nail or nails, until asked about why he did not go to his father's jug to drink, instead of going to the house. [The rest of the testimony of Mr. Halsey was a repetition of that of the other jurors.]

Cross-examined -- It was about one o'clock when witness first saw prisoner; witness thought all the family seemed to feel bad over their loss -- the prisoner as well as the rest.

TESTIMONY OF JOSHUA R. ABBOTT

Resides in Grand Blanc. Was a juror on the inquest. When prisoner went to the house for a drink, he said he stayed there 10 or 15 minutes; prisoner said when he returned to the house he told his mother, his father was shot. When prisoner was asked what made him think his father was shot, he said he didn't know, unless it was hearing the report. It was when he was asked why he didn't go to his father's jug to get a drink, instead of going to the house, that he said he wanted something to fix his scythe. Witness impression is that the ball entered at the left side of the back bone, but in this he might be mistaken. [The remainder of Mr. Abbott's testimony was a repetition of that of the jurors who preceded him.]

TESTIMONY OF JOHN BURRINGTON

Resides in Grand Blanc. Was one of the jurors. Prisoner stated that he told at the house, when he returned there, that his father was shot. He said he thought him shot, because of hearing the report of a gun. [Mr. Burrington repeated the testimony of other jurors.]

TESTIMONY OF EDWARD SAWYER

Resides in Grand Blanc. Was a juror on the inquest. When prisoner was asked why he went to the hosue for a drink, his answer at first was rather indefinite; afterwards he said it was because he wanted to get a nail to fix his scythe. He was asked, why he went to where his father was to take the jug; he did not make any definite answer. He said he told hism other his father was shot. When asked how he knew his father was shot, he gave no other reason than that he heard a gun. He was asked if he could see his father from the bars where he said he heard the report; he answered, he did not know whether he could or not. Witness thinks the ball went in at the left side of the back bone. [In other respects, Mr. Sawyer went over the same evidence as the rest of the jurors.]

TESTIMONY OF SILAS SMITH

Lives in Grand Blanc. Was one of the jurors. Heard the prisoner testify. He said that about 11 o'clock he got dry, and went to the house got a drink. When asked why he went to the house, he replied that he wanted to get a nail to fix the nib of his scythe. When he went the second time to the house, he said he told his mother his father was dead -- as witness understands it.

Thinks the ball entered the body on the right side of the back bone. [In other respects Mr. Smith corroborated the evidence of the jurors previously examined.

Cross-examined -- Thinks that prisoner's statement was, that he said to his mother that his father was dead; that is witness' opinion.

TESTIMONY OF DAVID McWAIN

Another of the jurors of inquest, who testified to the general facts of the examination already reported. He heard prisoner say that he was at the house ten or fifteen minutes; and that he told his mother his father was shot. The ball entered to the right of the back bone. On his cross examination, witness located the first pair of bars about four rods from the house, and the second pair at the foot of the lane pasture.

TESTIMONY OF EDWARD PARSONS

Was one of the jurors. Prisoner said it was at the bars near the house he heard the report; that he stayed at the house fifteen minutes or more; that he told them at the house, his father was shot. Witness thinks the ball entered on the right. [The rest of Mr. Parsons' testimony does not vary from other jurors.]

TESTIMONY OF PORTER McWAIN

This witness testified to having heard the prisoner make the same statements as have been generally reported in the previous evidence. Heard prisoner say, when he found his father dead, he did not touch him, nor speak to him. He also stated that his father's hat was down over his eyes. Thinks he said that he told his mother his father was shot.

The Court here adjourned till 8 1-2 to-morrow.

-------------------------------------------------------------

We have a murder (?) of a respected man, Aaron Seaver, in Grand Blanc, Genesee County, Michigan.

These ten witnesses were all jurors on the Coroner's inquest panel, and told essentially the same information. So many testified because there was no transcript of the inquest. There seem to be four significant issues about the prisoner's testimony - why did he go to the house for a drink, how did he know his father was shot, what did he tell his mother, and did he touch the body of his father.

I was curious about mowing with a scythe. The definition of "scythe" is:

You can flip to the next page using the arrows on the right and left sides of the page.

Here is the next page:

And the next page:

I won't post them all here - I have 39 articles in this magazine.

If you click on the title of any of the articles, then you will go to the website with that web page and can read the whole article. For instance:

As you can see, I created a new genealogy blog titled "Randy at Jamboree" and posted many of my pictures there as separate blog posts. I did that because Flipboard only "catches" one image for the magazine, and I wanted to highlight each picture one at a time for the magazine.

I wish that I had taken more, and better, photos at Jamboree - I need to work on that next year!

Note that on the Flipboard pages above, there are a number of posts on one magazine page. Six or seven, sometimes. I think that's because I took most of my pictures in landscape mode rather than portrait mode.

There is a Flipboard mobile app made for iOS and Android. I looked at this magazine on my iPhone and all of the pictures are on individual screens:

Want to see what can be done using Flipboard? Read the Flipboard Magazines blog at http://magazines.flipboard.com/. There are some awesome photo magazines there.

How can genealogical societies use a Flipboard magazine to entice the next generation of genealogists? Perhaps this is one tool that can be used to create photo magazines of ancestors, families, hometowns, society activities, repositories, genealogical research, etc.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Dawn Parrett Thurston has written a book titled The Parrett Migration, Their Story is America's Story about her ancestors' journey from Europe to America, and discovering the stories of their lives in America.

The Parretts were not generals, social reformers, or celebrated leaders of any kind. They were not the sort of people who have books written about them. They were large farming families, who acquired and cultivated large tracts of land, each succeeding generation moving on to the next frontier. Except for land, census, and military records, their lives were largely lost to history—until now.Dawn Parrett Thurston, an eighth-generation descendant of Frederick Parrett, her earliest-known paternal ancestor, became intrigued with the family during her college days. As she embarked on what became a decades-long study of the Parretts, her research took her to Switzerland and Germany, where she followed the route of Frederick’s eighteenth-century emigrant journey down the Rhine River to the port where he embarked to America. She visited Frederick’s farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and drove the western migration routes taken by the four generations that immediately followed him, standing on the soil of their former farms in Tennessee, Ohio, and Iowa.As the author examined available family records against the backdrop of American history, she came to see that the Parrett story was part of a much larger, fascinating narrative. The Parrett Migration spans nearly two hundred years of American history, a period when the country was in a constant state of flux, its borders ever expanding, its citizens embarking on exhausting and sometimes dangerous migrations in their quest for more land. The author discovered that her ancestors were on the trails during all the major migrations, traveling on foot, on horseback, and in covered wagons, forsaking the comforts of a settled situation, even a prosperous situation, to carve a new life for themselves out of the wilderness. The Parrett Migration is more than a family story, it turns out; it’s America’s story.Bio: Dawn Parrett Thurston has taught memoir and family history writing for nearly two decades. She is the co-author of Breathe Life into Your Life Story: How to Write a Story People Will WANT to Read and Remembering William and Bella (Bullock) Miller. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from UCLA and a master’s in communications from California State University, Fullerton. She and her husband live in Orange County, California. Details:The Parrett Migration: Their Story is America's Story344 pagesIllustrations: photos, charts, custom maps and artworkEndnotes, bibliography, appendix, indexProfessionally designed cover and interiorJohn Colletta has reviewed Dawn's book and had this to say about it:

In The Parrett Migration, Dawn Thurston has achieved an engaging saga of America’s formation. Inspired by the journeys her ancestors took over a span of 200 years—from the German Rhineland to the colonial East to the 20th-century Pacific coast—Thurston follows in their footsteps—literally!—and takes us along. With easy, vivid prose and lavish illustration—maps, documents, engravings, photographs, and more—she leads us from one hearty, optimistic and energetic family to the next, generation to generation, from Virginia to Tennessee to Ohio to Iowa to California… Westward ho! This meticulously documented narrative is brought to life with scenes reimagined from the past—scenes always clearly introduced as such. This monumental work raises the standard for family historians who aspire to write narrative accounts of their ancestors’ lives. Thurston has transformed a personal quest into the quintessential human journey we can all understand, appreciate and enjoy.—John Phillip Colletta, PhD

Disclosure: Dawn offered to provide a book for my review, but I declined because I could not read it and review it in a relatively short period of time. I did say that I would publish information about the book so that it received more publicity in genealogy circles.

The article starts in the right-hand column of Page 1 above, continues on to most of Page 2, and then finishes in the 30 January 1858 edition of the newspaper on pages 1 and 2. The first page of the 23 January 1858 issue is at http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=9AjqDp0R1qcC.

I am transcribing the articles in a series of blog posts - who knows how long this will take. I hope my readers enjoy it. Note that this is a reporter's summary of the trial, not the trial court transcript.

Witness resides in Grand Blanc; his farm adjoins Seaver's; was present and saw the body before it was taken away; is acquainted with the grounds. [Witness described the grounds, corroborating the evidence of previous witnesses.] Witness saw the body laying it on its back. Mr. Phillips and the two Seavers were there when witness came; Slack and Luther Seaver arrived soon after. Could see no evidence of the cause of death until the body had been removed. Helped to put the body in the wagon.

Cross-examined -- The head of the body lay a little east of south when he saw it -- the feet in an opposite direction. The team was driven by Luther Seaver. The prisoner was there at the time, but witness does not remember whether he went up to the house with them. Did not hear Mr. Slack have any conversation with prisoner. Saw prisoner weeping; he was excited, as were all the rest.

Direct examiniation resumed -- Mr. Slack might have had conversation with the prisoner, and witness not know, or remember.

TESTIMONY OF ALVAH KENNEDY

Witness was acquainted with the deceased. Knows prisoner. Lives in Grand Blanc, two and a half miles from Seaver's. Was at the house between two and three o'clock on the day in question. Saw the body.

Was present at the post mortem examination. The ball entered directly under the rib, on the right side of the back bone; it cut the main artery of the heart; went in the upper rib on the left side, and lodged in the left shoulder, pretty near the surface. The ball was considerably battered. Heard prisoner sworn before the inquest.

[Counsel for the defense here objected to parole evidence of what was sworn at the Coroner's inquest, when the written depositions might be procured. The Court sustained the objection, and the examination of Mr. Kennedy was not continued.]

The Court here adjourned till 8 1-2 o'clock tomorrow.

Wednesday, January 20th.

The forenoon was occupied by the Court with other business, owing to the absence of witnesses. In the afternoon this trial was resumed.

TESTIMONY OF JEREMIAH R. SMITH

Witness resides in Grand Blanc. Is a Justice of the Peace. Was acquainted with Aaron Seaver. Was called upon on the 25th of September last to hold an inquest on his body. It was holden at the house of deceased. A Coroner's Jury was called and witnesses sworn. Their testimony was not reduced to writing and transcribed by them. Saw where the ball entered the body; it was about half way up, on right side of back bone, and near the bone; the ball went nearly in a direct course, obliquely to the left collar bone. Drs. King and Fairbanks extracted the ball. Witness produced a ball and identified it. The ball is now in the same condition it was when extracted.

[The ball was examined by the Jury, and taken charge of by the Court.]

Cross-examined -- The prisoner, Charles Seaver, and Luther Seaver were present at the post mortem examination; and Mrs. Seaver was in the house. Prisoner was called upon to give testimony. Witness made note of the testimony given on the inquest, but owing to infirmity in his shoulder, was not able to reduce it all to writing.

TESTIMONY OF MARY MUNGER

Witness is in her eleventh year -- will be eleven next February. In September last was living at Mr. Aaron Seaver's; lives now at Mr. Ames'. Remembers when Mr. Seaver was dead; was at his house when he was killed; heard the report of a gun that day; it was in the forenoon; Mrs. Seaver and the witness were in the kitchen at the time.

Mrs. Seaver had been spinning that forenoon, and just when they heard the gun, she had sat down to knitting. Witness did not go out when she heard the shot. Is acquainted with the prisoner; has known him over two years; saw him the day Mr. Seaver was killed; prisoner had been up to the house to get a drink of water; had no conversation with him at that time; he stayed only a few minutes; do not know where he went then.

Saw him again soon after, when he came up to the door yard and said his father was shot; he said this to his mother -- Mrs. Seaver.

Witness was sent by Mrs. Seaver to tell Charles his father was shot; Charles is prisoner's brother. Witness went and told Charles, and then went to Mr. Phillips' to tell the same; witness then came back home.

When prisoner came up for a drink, he came into the house at the west door, into the new kitchen; it is not usual to come in at that door; the well is on the east side of the house. Prisoner did not sit down either time he came to the house. When he came to tell his father was shot, there was no one else there but Mrs. Seaver and witness, nor when he came - as he said - for a drink.

Saw prisoner since he has been in jail; It was in December. He told witness not to say any thing -- "to keep my head shut." Witness recollects prisoner going off to the State of New York, this last summer -- four or five weeks before the murder; he was gone about a week; his father came back with him; do not know what Mr. Seaver went to N.Y. for; suppose he went to N.Y. to bring back prisoner. Two or three weeks before Mr. Seaver was killed, witness heard prisoner say he "would see two or three years fron now, who would be jawed, and who would not."

This was said in the room where witness was; his father and mother were not there. Saw the prisoner the day before the death, take his gun and go out with it; witness does not know where he went.

Cross-examined -- Lived two years at Mr. Seaver's; no one was present but prisoner and witness when he spoke of "jawing".

Does not know whether he was speaking to witness or to himself then. Knows of no difficulty between prisoner and his father, except scolding once in a while because he would not do as his father wanted. There was about five minutes between his two visits to the house. Witness heard as many as three guns fired that day; one report was louder than the other; Mrs. Seaver remarked what a loud gun that was. Soon after this, prisoner came to say his father was shot; he was crying, and came running. Witness talked with Mr. slack and Mr. Kennedy once about the shooting.

Witness came to Flint on the 17th of December; was subpoenned. When witness saw prisoner in jail, also went there with Johnson's boy.

Prisoner's gun stood in the Wood House; saw it stand there about one hour after Mr. Seaver's death. Does not know whether it was there in the forenoon or not. Luther Seaver has a gun; can't tell where that was. There were two other guns in the house - shot guns, saw a pistol with prisoner one night. He appeared to feel bad after the death.

Witness was there when the wagon came up; Mr. Phillips, Mr. Slack and Mr. Rice were in the wagon. Witness heard the first gun about 9 or 10 o'clock; heard the second not a great while after; and the third not long after the second; they all seemed to come from the same direction.

=======================================

We have a murder (?) of a respected man, Aaron Seaver, in Grand Blanc, Genesee County, Michigan.

The first five witnesses described the aftermath of the shooting, and then the girl Mary Munger described what occurred inside the house before and after the shooting, and her conversations with the prisoner earlier. She also described how the prisoner went to New York for some reason, and his father went to bring him back home.

Aaron Seaver (1793-1857) is a second cousin, six times removed to me. Our common ancestors are my 7th great-grandparents, Joseph Seaver (1672-1754) and Mary Read (1680-????).

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About Me

I am a native San Diegan, a graduate of San Diego State University, a retired aerospace engineer, a genealogist and a family guy.
My wife (Angel Linda) and I have two lovely daughters, and five darling grandchildren. We love to visit them and have them visit us.
Angel Linda and I love to travel to visit friends and relatives, to sightsee, to cruise or to do genealogy. Our travels have taken us all over the USA, to England, Down Under and Scandinavia.
For earlier posts (not visible on the main post list), please see the Archives listed below by month.
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Contact me via email at randy.seaver@gmail.com